Six Ways to Write a Love Letter

May 30, 2022
Pearce’s pop music–infused adult debut (after the middle-grade Ellie, Engineer: In the Spotlight) charms with an unexpected romance between very different musicians. After escaping a Southern Baptist home, drummer Remy Young and his brother, Val, found fleeting success as rock duo Quiet Coyote. Now both work as session musicians in Los Angeles and live with Val’s gossip-column girlfriend, Celeste. When pop star Vivi Swan’s drummer breaks both elbows just before her tour, Remy steps in. After all, a gig’s a gig. From all that Remy knows of Vivi—her hit breakup songs, signature look, and America’s sweetheart persona—she appears light on substance, but he sees a different side of her when they spontaneously collaborate on a new song. They strike up a friendship that soon turns to love—until the pitfalls of fame threaten to pull them apart. This is the rare romance that doesn’t alternate perspectives between the leads: it’s told entirely from Remy’s point of view, with occasional flashbacks to his and Val’s unhappy childhood. Remy makes for a grounded point of entry to the world of pop superstardom, but some readers will regret that they only come to see Vivi’s deeper layers through his eyes. Still, this backstage pass proves as sweet and catchy as a top 40 hit.